bonny

or bon·nie

[ bon-ee ]

adjective

, bon·ni·er, bon·ni·est.

1. Chiefly Scot. pleasing to the eye; handsome; pretty.
2. British Dialect.
   1. (of people) healthy, sweet, and lively.
   2. (of places) placid; tranquil.
   3. pleasing; agreeable; good.

adverb

1. British Dialect. pleasingly; agreeably; very well.

noun

1. Scot. and North England Archaic. a pretty girl or young woman.

Bonny

¹

/ ˈbɒnɪ /

noun

1. Bight of Bonny
   Bight of Bonny a wide bay at the E end of the Gulf of Guinea off the coasts of Nigeria and Cameroon Former name (until 1975)Bight of Biafra

bonny

²

/ ˈbɒnɪ /

adjective

1. dialect.
   beautiful or handsome

   a bonny lass

2. merry or lively

   a bonny family

3. good or fine

   a bonny house

4. (esp of babies) plump
5. dialect.
   considerable; to be reckoned with

   cost a bonny penny

adverb

1. informal.
   agreeably or well

   to speak bonny

Derived Forms

• ˈbonnily, adverb

Other Words From

• bonni·ly adverb
• bonni·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of bonny¹

1425–75; late Middle English ( Scots ) bonie, perhaps < Old French bon good + -ie -y ¹, perhaps by analogy with jolie jolly

Word History and Origins

Origin of bonny¹

C15: of uncertain origin; perhaps from Old French bon good, from Latin bonus

Example Sentences

Bonny Island in Nigeria and St. Michael's in Maryland had much in common in colonial times.

From The Daily Beast

As if within her bonny smile and unshrinking friendliness he beheld something new and wonderfully beautiful.

From Project Gutenberg

Of course, yes—Maxwelton's braes are bonny—um—um—um—um—um—yes, oh yes.

From Project Gutenberg

"Five years in and out of the desk, in and out of his pocket—but all so nice and unsoiled and sweet and bonny inside," she added.

From Project Gutenberg

Laith will the lassie be to weet her bonny shoon, but lang ere the play'll be ower she'll wat her hat aboon.

From Project Gutenberg

Child Stig to the health of his bonny bride quaffed, And forest and meadow delightedly laughed.

From Project Gutenberg